Combined railway draw-head and air-coupling



No. 749,900. PATENTEDJAN."19,1904'.

L. LEGOMPTE.

COMBINED RAILWAY DRAW HEAD AND AIR GOUPLING.'

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 a WWW no MODEL.

N0.749,900. -PATENTEDJA1 \I.19,1904.-

L.LEGOMPTE.

COMBINED RAILWAY DRAW HEAD AND AIR COUPLING."

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1903.

' 3 SHEIB'DS-SHBET 2' N0 MODEL.

Patented January 19, 1904 U ITED] STATES PATENT (OFFICE.

LOUIS LECOMPTE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. V

COMBINED RAILWAY DRAW-HEAD AND AIR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 749,900, dated January 19, 1904.

Application filed February 25, 1903. Serial No. 145,107- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS LEGOMPTE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Rail Way Draw-Head and Air-Coupler; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates more particularly to the class of couplers adapted to couple automatically by impact when brought together and also at the same time form a coupling for the air or steam hose. Heretofore many different types of couplers have been constructed, in some of which attempts have been made to couple the steam or air hose simultaneously.

The object of this invention is to provide av construction in which the draw-heads couple automatically the steam or air hose at one and the same time.

The invention also is adapted to provide a construction adapted to couple automatically with the usual Master Car-Builders type of coupler, if desired, or to couple automatically with a like coupler affording a rigid connection in which the coupling-pins interlock, necessitating like movement for each simultaneously, so that the lifting of one serves to release the other.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a construction in which the train-pipes couple simultaneously with the draw-heads.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more fully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

'In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken, of a car end provided with a draw-bar and coupler embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same, showing the draw-head coupled with a like draw-head and both flexed on the drawbars under lateral strain, as in rounding a curve. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and showing the pins lifted. Fig. 4

is a central horizontal section taken on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of one of the couplers,

showing in dotted lines a Master Car-Builders draw-head coupled therewith. Fig. 7 is a reduced horizontal section illustrating the means for returning the draw-head and draw-bar into alinement after the coupler has been flexed on the draw-bar by lateral strain.

As shown in the drawings, A indicates a draw-bar adapted to be engaged with draftrigging of any preferred kind in the usual or any desired manner and having an axial aperture therein, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 7. Near the outer end of said draw-bar is provided an upwardly extending transverse shoulder (0, adapted when the car is coupled to communicate a part of the bufiing stress to the end sill B of the car in the usual manner. The outer end of the draw-bar is enlarged and is recessed, and a horizontal ly-extending shelf a, which is rounded at its outer end, forms the bottom of said recess, and a corresponding forwardly-extended rounded plate or shelf a is provided above said recess. Said plates a a as shown, fit in corresponding complemental curved surfaces at the rear end of the draw-head or coupler C, which, as shown, is

provided with the complementally-curved surfaces 0 c, which receive the rounded ends of said plates of and a A rearwardly-directed tail C, integral with the rear end of the drawhead and having less thickness than the height 'of the recess in the draw bar and through which and the plates a 6& extends the pivotpin I), may be secured below-the draw-bar by means of a cotter-pin or the like, if preferred. .As shown, a strong leaf-spring dengages in a slot at the rear end of the tail C and extends longitudinally of the aperture in the draw-bar and at its inner end engages in a socket at the inner end of said aperture, so that when the draw-head is flexed on the draw-bar tension is brought on said spring.

The draw-heads comprise each a casting provided on its outer end with an integral forwardly-directed arm E, having an integral inwardly-hooked knuckle (2. Said draw-head is also provided in its outer end near the opposite side from said arm with a recess E. The arms E and recesses E in said draw-heads are so disposed that when the draw-heads are brought together in coupling the arm and knuckle of each draw-head engage in the recess of the other. As shown, acoupling-pin F, having a downwardly rounded or inclined lower end, extends through and fits closely in an aperture in the top of each draw-head into and partly through each of said recesses and is provided with a longitudinal groove in one side thereof, into which extends the end pin or dowel secured in the draw-head. The upper surface of each of the knuckles is beveled or inclined outwardly and downwardly, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6, so that when the drawheads are brought together in coupling relation the impact of said knuckles on the pins throws the same upwardly and permittingthe passage of the knuckles beneath the same and permitting the pins to drop behind theknuckles, as shown in Fig. 4, presenting a square flat draft-surface for the knuckle, so that when the draw-heads are brought together the said arms and integral knuckles bring the ends of the same into register, holding the same firmly and unyieldingly locked together.

Inasmuch as each of the pins F must rise to permit the draw-heads to couple, means have been provided whereby either pin when lifted will lift the other simultaneously. purpose said pins are provided each with integral outwardly-extending flat arms f f of which the arms f are of a sufiicient length,

and so positioned that when the draw-heads are brought together in coupling said arms f 2 extend beneath and in contact with the armsf of the corresponding draw-head, as shown in Fig. .2, so that either upward or downward movement, of ,either produces corresponding movement in the other. This is important in uncoupling, inasmuch as the pins must be lifted simultaneously, and for the purpose of facilitating uncoupling without necessitating the brakeman passing between the cars a crank conical nipple if, communicating with saidchamber, extends from the front end of the draw-head below the knuckle e, and an aperture extends through the end of the drawhead opening into said chamber near the opposite side of the draw-head and is provided with a bushing of rubber or other resilient material, (indicated by k Said conical nipples and the apertures at the outer ends of the For this respective draw-heads are so disposed as to register exactly when the drawheads are brought together, as shown in Fig. 5, thus forming an air tight connection through which the chambers in the respective drawhead communicate, providing when the trainpipe hose it is connected with the nipples it a continuous passage through the drawhead, as shown in Fig. 5, for the passage of air, steam, or the like, as indicated by the arrows.

The operation is as follows: The drawheads, though engaged upon the draw-bars by means permitting free lateral swing, are normally held by the spring (Z in alinement with the draft-rigging and draw-bar, and owing to the hinge connection with said draw-bar and because the recess in the outer end of the draw-bar is higher than the thickness of the tail D the draw-heads are permitted more or less vertical movement with respect to the draw-bar. It follows that the draft appliances are thus relieved from undue stress occasioned in passing around curves and inequalities in the track or the like. The construction of the draw-head proper clearly admits of ready coupling with a draw-head of the Master Car-Builders type, as shown in Fig. 6, enabling the improved draw-head to be used in trains in which are also used the Master Car-Builder or Jenny coupling. It is evident that the interlock afforded by the mutual engagement of the arm and knuckle of one draw-head in the recess of the other with the pin therein affords a very rigid connection, which, however, may be instantly released by means of the crank G permitting both pins to be lifted simultaneously, as shown in Fig. 3. It is also obvious from the construction described that where cars are equipped with air-brakes heated by steam or are otherwise constructed to necessitate a fluid connection between the cars the hose-pipe of each car for conveying said fluid may be connected permanently with its couplers, so that when the cars are brought together in coupling relation the train-pipe is simultaneously connected from car to car.

Obviously valves of any type may be employed and in the hose connection of the coupling and many details of construction maybe Varied without departing from the principles of this invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A railway-coupling comprising in combination an axially-apertured draw-bar, a draw-head hinged thereto to permit vertical and lateral movement with respect to the drawbar, and a spring in said aperture engaging said head and draw-bar and acting normally to hold the same in alinement.

2. The combination with a draw-bar, of a draw-head pivoted thereon by means affording lateral and vertical movement with respect thereto, a leaf-spring engaged in the drawhead and extending axially in the draw-bar and acting when the draw-head is flexed on the d raw-bar to return the same to alinement.

3. The combination with a draw-bar, of a draw-head pivoted to swing laterally thereon by means of a vertical pivot-pin and adapted to have vertical movement with respect to the draw-bar as well as lateral movement with respect thereto, a spring engaged in said drawhead and extending axially of the draw-bar and acting to return the draw-head to alinement with the draw-bar when flexed thereon.

at. A draw-head having in its bottom atransverse chamber, a pipe connected with the chamber and a projection extending outwardly from the draw-head and provided with an aperture communicating in said chamber, said projection adapted to extend intoan aperture in a corresponding draw-head and communicating with a like chamber therein, thereby permitting passage of air, steam or the like through the draw-head.

An automatic car andhose-pipe coupling coniprisingsimilar draw-heads havingflat contact-faces and an arm each interlocking with a pin in the other, a lateral recessed hook on said. arm, a chamber in the base of each drawhead, a conical tubular nipple extending outwardly from each chamber and adapted for connection in a hushed opening leading to the chamber in the other draw-head, and hosepipe connections on the side of each coupler opening into the chamber therein.

6. A. draw-head of the class described comprising an integral forwardly-extending arm, an in\ ardly-directed knuckle integral there with, a recess in the outer end of the drawhead on the side opposite said arm, a pin having an inclined point and extending into the recess and forwardly-directed integral arms on the upper end of said pin one extending above the other and each adapted to engage respectively above and below the corresponding arms of the pin and the draw-head coupled therewith.

7. ,A coupler of the class described comprising in combination the draw-bar, a drawhead hinged thereon by means permitting vertical and lateral movement with respect thereto, means axially disposed in said draw-bar adapted to normally hold said draw-bar and draw head in alinement, air connection through the bottom of said draw-head, means operated by the coupling of the draw-head for coupling the air connections.

8. A coupier of the class described comprising in combination the draw-bar, adrawhead hinged thereon by means permitting vertical and lateral'movement with respect thereto, air connection through the bottom of said draw-head, a conical tube extending through the front of the draw-head adapted to seat in a complemental aperture and acting by the coupling of the draw-head to couple the air connections, integral coupling means at the outer end of each draw-head adapted to interlock in a corresponding draw-head and means operated at a point remote from the draw-head for uncoupling the cars and air connection simultaneously.

9. The combination with corresponding draw-heads adapted to couple automatically when brought together, of a chamber in each, an air connection opening into each of said chambers and leading to the air-supply, integral arms on the ends of the couplers, inwardlyturned hoops thereon having their top portion recessed adapted when the draw-heads are brought together to couple the cars and air simultaneously and when the cars are uncoupled to simultaneously uncouple the air.

10. The combination with draw-heads each provided with a recess in and an outwardlyextending hooked arm on its outerend, of a pin-in each draw-head seated in the recess in each draw-head and adapted to be lifted by the arm when entered therein and projecting arms thereon engaging respectively above and below like arms on the opposite pin on said pins whereby movement of one pin necessitates corresponding movement of the other.

11. The combination with draw-heads each provided with a recess in and an outwardlyextending hooked arm on its outer end, of a pin in each draw-head seated in the recess in each draw-head and adapted to be lifted by the arm when entered therein, a pair of interlitting arms on'said pins whereby movement of one pin necessitates corresponding movement of the other, and a pivoted crank acting to simultaneously lift both pins.

12. The combination with draw-heads each provided with a recess in and an outwardly,

extending hooked arm on its outer end, of a pin in each draw-head seated in the recess in each draw-head and adapted to be lifted by the arm when entered therein, a long and short arm on each pin, those of one adapted to engage above and beneath those of the other, and a crank pivoted on the end of a car and having flexible connection with one of the pins and acting simultaneously to lift both pins.

13. The combination with draw-heads adapted when coupled to form a rigid joint, of axially-apertured draw-bars to which the same are hinged. by means affording lateral and vertical movement with respect thereto, a leafspring in said aperture, an air connection provided through said draw-head when coupled and pins forming the coupling and provided at their upper ends with interlocking parts whereby the lifting of one pin necessitates the liftingof the other. p

1 1; The combination with axially-apertured draw-bars, of draw-heads adaptedwhen coupled to form a rigid connection and hinged thereto by means permitting lateral and vertical movement thereon, a leaf-spring in each draw-bar acting when the draw-heads are flexed thereon to return the same to alinement sponding draw -head when the same are brought together in coupling position.

16. A draw-head hinged to its draw-bar by means affording vertical and lateral movement with respect thereto, aforwardly-directed arm on the draw-bar, an integral knuckle on said arm having its upper surface beveled and air connections extending through said draw-head and adapted to be automatically connected with similar air connections in the corresponding couplers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two sul scribing witnesses.

' LOUIS LECOMPTE. Witnesses:

C. W. HIRES, A. C. ODELL. 

